


How to cope

by CustardCreamies



Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: First Meetings, Fluff and Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-04
Updated: 2018-05-04
Packaged: 2019-05-02 06:45:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14538951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CustardCreamies/pseuds/CustardCreamies
Summary: Following the loss of his beloved dog, Kimi meets Sebastian and a little puppy in the park.





	How to cope

**Author's Note:**

> Sometimes fanfiction can be therapeutic. This is one of those times. Just helping me with the two months anniversary coming up. Can’t believe it’s been that long.

Kimi loved dogs. Big dogs, small dogs, those small idiotic ones you fit in your handbag. All of them. It didn’t matter to him if they were a Great Dane or a Chihuahua. He loved them.

He used to have his own dog by the name of Bongo. Bongo had been a Labrador. A larger then life character with a big heart. He was a dork. Kimi had him when he was a tiny pup from his friend Minttu and had cared for him his entire life.

Bongo had been Kimi’s best friend. He’d spend every minute with him, taking him for walks, playing in the park and late at night cuddling into his soft fur and telling him everything that was on his mind. Bongo had understood and loved him no matter what.

However, recently Bongo had declined in heath and the Finn had been crazy with worry. Taking him down the vet had revealed Bongo had cancer, an aggressive form and there was nothing anyone could do.

Kimi had stayed with Bongo until the end. Telling him how much he was loved and how he’d never forget him.

Kimi had been a wreck. Not able to stop crying for weeks on end. The loss of his best friend had effected him deeply. He didn’t know how he’d cope without him.

Luckily for him he had Minttu. She had been amazing with him, helping him grieve and slowly and surely getting him able to cope. It still hurt like an open wound, but he was getting there.

It was exactly two months after it had happened and Minttu had convinced him to go to the park to take a walk. Bongo had loved the park. The idiot dog would run right out into the lake to fetch sticks for him or to chase after the ducks. On one memorable occasion even dragging Kimi into the water after the Finn tried to stop him.

Kimi lets the memory make him smile for an instant. Some days he could remember Bongo fondly, others the memory of him opened up everything like a wound.

Shaking his head to clear the cobwebs away he walks down the path, his feet taking him down the familiar route down to the lake. He almost doesn’t realise he’s at the lake until he hears a muffled bark.

Kimi turns, frowning at the sound and he looks on in amazement as a completely sodden Labrador puppy appears, a stick firmly in her mouth as she races towards him. She skids to a halt right in front of his legs and barks excitedly, dropping the stick and looking expectant.

Kimi looks around for her owner but the dog gives a small impatient growl and wags her tail playfully. She wants the stick thrown and thrown now.

With a sigh Kimi picks up the stick and throws it in an arch high into the air. The eager little puppy barks and races after the stick, almost tripping over her own paws to catch it. Once she’s got it clamped into her mouth she trots back over to him and drops it at his feet proudly.

Kimi gives her a soft smile and leans down to pick up the stick, but as he does so she suddenly leans up onto his knee and frantically begins licking his face.

Kimi splutters in shock and falls onto his arse as the puppy barks and jumps all over him, covering him in water and mud.

It’s as he’s trying to push her away that he becomes aware of someone frantically shouting for the dog. “Gracie! Gracie no! Please stop! I’m so sorry!”

Kimi glances up and his mouth falls open at the rather attractive man in front of him. Blond curly hair and the bluest blue eyes ever.

The man smiles sheepishly as the puppy trots back over to him and he picks her up. “I’m ever so sorry. She loves meeting new people.”

Kimi blinks dumbly for a second before shaking his head. “It’s fine. I don’t mind. I’m Kimi.” He struggles to his feet and holds out his hand.

“Sebastian.” The man replies, shaking his hand and smiling. “And you’ve already met Grace.”

Kimi laughs softly and nods. “Indeed I have.” He pauses a little and looks at him. “Can I hold her?”

Sebastian looks surprised for a second but then nods. “Sure you can, but she’s covered in god knows what from that lake.”

“I don’t mind. I uh...lost my own dog recently and she kind of reminds me of him.” The Finn explains quietly and Sebastian’s eyes fill with sympathy.

“I’m so sorry to hear that.” He says quietly and hands the squirming pup over to him. “I couldn’t even begin to imagine what it feels like.”

Kimi shrugs a little and cuddles the soaking wet puppy to him, nose in her fur. He doesn’t mind. It feels good to just get to cuddle a dog again. “I don’t think anything can prepare you for the pain. I still sometimes think I can hear him. His snoring for example and I have to stand there and remind myself often he’s gone.”

Sebastian looks at him and lightly places a hand on his shoulder. “I am so sorry for your loss, believe me. I’ve only had Grace for a little while and she’s almost my child.”

Kimi nods quietly and presses a tiny kiss to Grace’s head, rocking her gently. “Bongo was the same. Had him as a pup. He was almost my child. We faced the world together. We were never not together.”

Sebastian nods and squeezes his shoulder. “Would you like to walk with us for a bit? She seems to like you.” The little puppy is busy licking Kimi’s chin.

“Sure.” Kimi gives Sebastian a soft smile. “I’dlove to.”

“You can tell me more about Bongo on the way.” Sebastian says softly, hesitantly wrapping his arm around the Finn’s shoulders.

Kimi nods gently and begins walking up to the small cafe with him. Taking comfort in the offer of being able to talk about his beloved dog and getting to cuddle Grace. It wouldn’t bring Bongo back but maybe this man and his dog could help him begin to heal.

**Author's Note:**

> Please comment/kudo if you enjoyed.


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